Laura Mae Lindo MPP, Kitchener Centre

Horwath says re-opening must come with more testing and tracing

Published on May 15, 2020

QUEEN’S PARK — Andrea Horwath, Leader of the Official Opposition New Democrats, says that re-opening some businesses and recreation would be safer if Ontario stepped up its COVID-19 testing and tracing.

Over the past 30 days, Ontario has averaged just 12,600 tests per day, and not all positive cases are thoroughly contact-traced.

“Everyone is eager to start easing restrictions, but Doug Ford needs to dramatically ramp up testing and contact tracing to make it safer for everyone when we do that,” said Horwath. “No one wants to see Ontario take one step forward and two steps back. We don’t want to see more people getting sick, and freshly re-opened businesses having to close again, because of outbreaks — and the solution to that is to test, test, test, and have the capacity to trace every positive case.”

Horwath said the government also needs to ensure businesses have access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and that they are regularly inspected. Physical distancing and infection control rules should be mandatory – not suggested guidelines, according to the NDP.